AWARD YEAR: 2024

WESTERN CAROLINA UNIVERSITY

DIRECTOR: SARAH PEDONTI

PROJECT TITLE: OUR NATURAL WORLD/NUESTRO MUNDO NATURAL: ENHANCING SUMMER STEM LEARNING FOR DIVERSE EARLY ELEMENTARY STUDENTS IN RURAL JACKSON COUNTY

Young diverse rural children in western North Carolina face challenges to experiencing a high-quality Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education. Further, for Migrant and Seasonal Farmworker (MSFW) families, the remote nature of their work coupled with inadequate public transportation make it difficult for children to take advantage of academic enrichment opportunities. Building on the successes and lessons learned of WCU’s previous Kids in the Creek program, Our Natural World/Nuestro Mundo Natural, a collaboration between WCU’s College of Education, Biology and Chemistry and Physics Departments and JCPS STEM and WNC Migrant Education Programs, intends to address these challenges. Our Natural World/Nuestro Mundo Natural is centered around an intensive four-week summer camp where diverse kindergarten through second grade children of rural families in JCPS participate in hands-on activities designed to showcase all aspects of scientific inquiry through the completion of activities based on three main themes: 1) Systems in our skies/astronomy, 2) Systems in soil/agriculture/biology, and 3) Systems in our waterways/ecology. In addition to the summer camp, participants will continue STEM experiential learning by attending 3 “meet a scientist” opportunities, 3 family engagement nights, and 2 roundtables. Families will explore the Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute, NC State Mountain Horticultural Crops Research and Extension Center, and the Highlands Biological Research Station through guided tours that integrates active learning activities. Community roundtable events will deliver family advocacy training on accessing informal STEM opportunities and navigating the K-5 public school system and curriculum. WCU faculty will lead evaluation.

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